Do You Need A Resume For That Work At Home Job?

This is a question I get a lot and it’s not a simple one to answer, really. It all depends on what you are looking for as far as your work at home job is concerned. I’m not going to bore you and show you how to write a resume – there are so many examples and tutorials out there for that. Nope, I’m just going to answer the question “is a resume needed for a work at home job?”

What Are Your Job Intentions?

Are you after a “real” job – the kind where you’re an employee and reap the benefits of being an employee?

OR….

Are you thinking more along the lines of just doing a bit of work here and there, when the mood hits you, with a legitimate company?

And then there’s freelancing. You’re not an employee, you’re not working side jobs, but you are finding customers (or clients if that’s what you want to call them) and doing work for them – on terms you both agree upon.

So, Is A Resume Needed?

If you are considering just doing extra jobs or freelance work, then a resume is not necessary. Well…at least a resume in the traditional sense. Assuming you’re familiar with freelancing and micro job platforms such as Upwork and Microworkers, you know that you have to set up a profile. It’s your profile that shows off your accomplishments, skills, talents and capabilities.

Tips to Setting Up a Great Profile:

Be honest with your skills and talents. If you’re bilingual, what languages are you fluent in? How fast can you type? What software programs are you familiar with? DON’T LIE.

Add a picture of yourself. This is your first impression and it shows you are serious. Your picture should be a head shot, where you are dressed appropriately, against a plain background.

Make sure you don’t stray from the agreed-upon work assignments or contract.

If your goal is to be an employee, no matter how many hours you’ll be working, then a resume is your employment lifeline. In fact, companies expect a resume from potential employees. Even though it is a home-based position you are applying for, they still need to know your skills, work history, and major accomplishments. Competition for remote jobs is tough and you need to stand out.

Tips to Writing a Resume for Your Work at Home Job

Don’t just dust-off your old resume – polish it up a bit. Your skills may have changed. Your interests may have changed. You need to reflect this in your resume.

Spelling and grammar really do matter. You’re sure NOT to get the job if there are errors – even a few misspellings are bad. Don’t risk having your resume ignored. Use your spell / grammar check. Have a friend or family member read through it. Read it out loud – you’ll be amazed at how good – or bad it sounds.

Many people still start off their resume with an Objective line, something like “An employment opportunity in a Customer Service field”. When I worked as a Human Resources Assistant, those objectives were pretty much ignored by all the hiring managers. They were usually just a bunch of fluffy words with little meaning. Plus, when you’re submitting a resume it stands to reason your objective is to be employed by a company doing that particular job. I say skip the objective line.

If you have gaps in your resume, don’t worry. If you explain them properly you’ll see that employers won’t fuss over them too much.

Tailor Your Resume

Tailor your resume to the job you are applying for. Emphasize your skills that relate to the specific position. What if you apply for a few different types of jobs? Well, this means you will have a few different resumes, one for each job that interests you. As long as you can back-up what your resume says, you’re good.

Remember, employers scan through hundreds of resumes. Especially those for remote positions. About six seconds after picking up your resume it goes in one of two piles: keep or toss. Monster.com has a ton of great resume samples you can download and tweak for your work at home job interest.